Following is a case study which used a combination of information found in Swedish births, marriages and deaths, Household examination rolls or communion records, catechism records and tax lists to extend a family tree branch 3 generations beyond the parish registers.

This case study is meant to be a teaching tool. For that purpose, links to actual images found in the records have been put into the file. By following through the links, and looking at the images, it is hoped the user will be able to better read the records, and understand how the information found helped move the family tree along.

Asmund Jönsson was born 11 Sep 1718 in Barsebäck parish, Malmohus County, Sweden to Jöns Jönsson and his wife Elena Asmundsdotter. Asmund fathered 11 children and died in Barsebäck on 4 Feb 1768, age 50.

A 10 year search thorugh the birth records either side of 1718 produced no siblings for Asmund.

His parents, Jöns Jönsson and Elena Asmundsdotter were not married in Barsebäck, though the records existed for the probable time period that would have taken place. That could mean Elena was from another parish since it was the custom to marry in the bride's home parish. It could also mean that they both originated from another place, since it was the custom to have all or most the children in the groom's home parish.

⇒First research step (after at least spot checking to make sure the base is correct, if you didn't research it to that point yourself) - Find the deaths of the parents to obtain ages and possible other information

Since no clues existed as to whether Asmund was the last of 12 children, the only child of his parents, or somewhere in the middle of the family, searches through the death records looking for his parents had to begin with his birth date.

Elena Asmundsdotter's death was found 30 years after her son Asmund was born, i.e. 23 Apr 1745. The age at death was given as "approximaely age 64." That means Elena was born about1681. The death entry also stated.... "barnfödd i Henckelstorp." That place did not show up in the parish listings of Sweden, meaning it was not a record keeping jurisdiction, but a smaller place.

NOTE: To check if a place name is a parish, you can consult the Swedish parish listing in the FamilySearch wiki.

(PULL IN LINK TO THAT LIST HERE)

A search of Svensk Ortforteckning, a major Swedish gazetteer, listed Henkelstorp as a farm area belonging to Västra Karaby parish, also in Malmohus county.

{Click here to link to an explanation of major Swedish gazetteers and how to use them.}

(LINK TO SWEDEN - GAZETTEERS HERE)

A quick search of the Family History Library Catalog showed the parish registers for Västra Karaby did not begin until 1688. The initial thought was that maybe we weren't going to be able to go back further after all, since Elena was born about 1681 as per her age at death.

Searches in the death records of Barsebäck parish continued, looking for Jöns Jönsson, Asmund's father. He died 20 Mar 1768, at age 83 = born about 1685.

Unfortunately, a new minister had moved into Barsebäck parish by that time, and birth places were no longer being listed in the death records. The presumption had to be made at that point that Jöns Jönsson had at least resided in the area of Västra Karaby parish for a short while in order to have met his wife Elena, even if he wasn't born there.

⇒Second research step - look for the marriage of Jöns Jönsson & Elena Asmundsdotter in her birth parish, Västra Karaby

Searches began in those records in 1705, when Jöns Jönsson would have been about age 20. Males normally wouldn't have married much before that, though some exceptions have been found.

In 1712 the hoped for entry finally showed up i.e. "the 4th Christmas Day (29 Dec 1712) married the farm hand (and bachelor) Jöns Jönsson of Henckelstorp, and "the female person" Elena Asmundsdotter."

Normally, a Swedish female who had never been married before is referred to as a "Piga" in the records. The phrase the minister used to describe Elena, i.e. "female person", indicated something had happened in her life previous to her marriage to Jöns. Experience said that "something" was probably an illegitimate child. Subsequent research proved that to be the case.

Searching backwards from the date of Jöns and Elena's marriage, the following was found. "On 11 Jun 1712, Boel, the illegitimate daughter of "Asmon Tors.(son's)" dotter Elena from Henchelstorp and the soldier Mattis Hall, reportedly in Captain Vrangel's Company, Vestmanlan Regiments, was christened." A further note in this entry indicates Elena was publicly absolved of her sin on 23 Nov 1712, at which time she had the district court's resolution or judgement in her posession.

Jöns must have loved Elena a great deal as he was willing to marry her within 6 months of her having borne a child he had not fathered, and to raise the child as his own.

⇒Third research step - search the parish registers of this new parish for additional siblings

Asmund Jönsson was born in Barsebäck parish in 1718 - his now oldest known step sibling was born in Västra Karaby in 1712. Unless something was physically wrong, other children should have been born to his parents in that 6 year period.

Searches in the birth/christening records of Västra Karaby parish produced two full siblings - a sister Tyre born in 1715, and an older brother Jöns who was born and died in 1717. An additional 5 years search in the parish showed this named couple had no more children there - adding weight to the conclusion they were the couple found in Barsebäck parish registers, from 1718 on. The supposition is also supported by the fact that a 10 year search previous to 1718 showed there was not another couple of the same name who were having children in Barsebäck parish before that year, which is when Asmund Jönsson was born.

⇒Fourth research step - search records which could "prove" Asmun Torsson lived at Henckelstorp when his daughter Elena was born about 1681

Swedish tax lists were one of the records which could help with this. The "Mantalslängder" (tax lists) exist from circa 1658 for the whole country, and from about 1580 for some areas of Sweden. You can read more about the content and use of these records in the wiki under the topic of "Sweden - Taxation."

(PUT IN LINK HERE TO ARTICLE)

That article also gives the format of the tax lists and explains the columns ( / _ / / _ _ = 3 taxables) so you can understand what each mark means in the following extracts of information taken from the actual tax lists.

Research premise: If the "Asmun Tors(son)" listed as Elena's father in the christening record of Elena's illegitimate child in 1712 was also there at Henckelstorp in the 1680, 1681, 1682, and/or 1683 tax lists when Elena was supposed to be born, that would lend great credence to the research conclusion that she was our ancestor, and that she was indeed born in Västra Karaby parish, as her death record information stated.

The initial search through the tax rolls covered 1680-1720. It should be noted here as a point of research procedure - once you begin searching tax lists, search a VERY wide time frame, and do not skip years! A remark made one year, or a name found in one year's list may NEVER show up again.

Because this is a case study, and the purpose is to help the reader learn, images of the actual tax lists, with their English translation follows. You'll note that the information asked for was not always the same. Some of the terms used were very dialectically oriented, and not always findable in dictionaries covering from middle age to modern day. Additionally, the column headings were not standardized. It is crucialItalic text, when doing a tax list search, to make sure you know what piece of information each column heading is asking for.

Unfortunately, the tax lists for 1682, 1683, and 1685-1691 were missing. As you'll see, however, that deficiency was definitely overcome by the information found in extant tax lists, gathered after searching a large time frame.

The results of the searches for Asmun Torsson living at Henckelstorp are as follows:

With high anticipation we looked forward to the next tax years' searches. If our ancestor Elena was living at home, and was tax eligible, she should be marked as a slashmark in the "daughter" column,(the 4th space over in the lists), from 1697 on, as she would have turned 15, or taxable age, about 1696.

WHERE IS ELENA? She was perhaps following the custom of the time i.e. going out and working each season for different farmers in Västra Karaby, or, perhaps even working in another parish. It's also possible she had a physical ailment which made her tax ineligible. Sometimes the record keeper made a note of that fact - sometimes not.

We knew from the parish record entry for Elena's illegitimate child that her father was definitely "Asmund Torson." The more information which could be found to substantiate that, the better, so searches continued.

1705 p. 587 Hänkelstorp (Note: Book burned - parts missing around the edges) Adding such pieces of information to your extracts and/or research logs is adviseable, as it lets you know why pieces of information that logically should be in that record couldn't be found and/or read.

The 1709 tax list information translates as follows: Jöns Torson and his wife Gertru were now either deceased, ill, or too old to be taxed. Their son Anders (listed in the 1702 lists) has taken over the farm, and is probably unmarried, or, his wife is untaxable for some reason that year.

Pernilla, Asmund Torsson's wife and Elena's probable mother, is either deceased, or ill, or too old to be taxed. The tax list for 1710 is missing. The next available list, 1711, shows yet another change in these family structures.

As you'll note, the tax list information shows that sometime between 1709 and 1711 Asmund Torsson dies. Since the parish registers of Västra Karaby begin in 1688, that means I can search the death records, and hopefully pick up an age on him, which will give me his approximate birth year!

The parish register deaths show Asmon Torsson died betweeen 4th & 5th of Jan, 1711, having been sick for 8 days. He was buried on 11 Jan, and was listed as age 67 = born @ 1643/4.

The next available tax list was 1720. The only person listed at Henckelstorp, of those for whom we were searching, was Anders Jönsson, Asmund Torsson's nephew, and his family. That indicates Pernilla, Asmund's wife, was either too old or ill to be taxed, or, had also passed away.

A search of the parish register deaths showed the latter was the case. "Pernilla, widow of Asmun Torson died 18 Apr and was buried 24 Apr 1719, age 68" = born about 1651.

(pull im death image here)

Now we had a partial family structure - more records could be searched to try and add generations!

⇒Fifth research step - Go back to the beginning of the tax lists and work forward, looking for anyone with a first name of "Tor" and anyone with a family name of "Torsson" or something similar.

The first available list was dated 1658. Living at Henkelstorp was "Jenns Tordsen, (his) wife, (a) female farmhand, and Tord Andersen and wife. The name "Tord" is not the most common of names, so, we took a bit of license and made the assumption, until otherwise proved false, this was probably Jöns and Asmund Tordson (Torsson's) father. Information from the tax lists has extended this family tree branch yet another generation!

Bless the tax man of 1663! Here he lists Jôns Torson, and wife Elena, and Tor Andersön and wife Hanna. Besides obtaining the probable name for either Jöns' and/or Asmund's mother, the information also tells us Jöns Torson was married at least twice, since his wife in the 1700 tax list was named Gertru.

The 1666 and 1668 lists were so faint, no names could be read - there was just a line here, a blob of ink there. That does happen sometimes, considering these records are over 300 years old. Perhaps in the originals more could be read.

Note: Original images of church, probate, and some tax records are being put online at SVAR.

(pull in web address)

Jôns Torson and wife (1 1 _ _ _) appear in the extant 1670, 1671, 1672, and 1675 lists - still residing at Henckelstorp. In 1672, a possible brother of Jôns and Asmund appears i.e. a Måns Thorson and wife, also listed at Henckelstorp. They did not appear before that, and they never appear after. That shows again why it is so very important once you have begun a tax list search, to search every extant year, and a wide time frame.

The next available list was 1680 where we started the search in the tax lists. (See Step 4) It is interesting to note that both Jöns Torson and Asmund Torson are listed as single taxables i.e. no wives being taxed. Perhaps that is the year Jôns first wife died, and Asmund had not yet married. We can't say for sure, as the parish registers don't exist, but, it is something to consider.

Sixth Research Step: Look for and search other types of extant records which could contain information on the ancestral family

Remember, we began the study by trying to find the birth place of Elena Asmundsdotter. She was the mother of the direct ancestor, Asmund Jönsson, who was born in Barsebäck parish. Elena died in Barsebäck parish - but she wasn't born there. Her death record stated, "born as a child in Henckelstorp, Västra Karaby parish," To this point, that huge clue found in her death record in Barsebäck parish, plus information found in the church registers of Västra Karaby parish, plus the tax list information has given a good outline of her ancestry. However, we wanted to find more to now fill in that outline.

The catechism records were those next searched. These are found in the Family History Library Catalog under the name of the parish - Church Records

{PULL IN LI NK TO VASTRA KARABY PARISH LISTING}

These types of records do not exist for all areas of Sweden, but, as will be seen, they can be of great value when extant. They appear to be the foreunner of the Husförhörslängder (Household Examination Rolls). Since the purpose of the Catechism record was to list the names of, or at least indicate there were young people of confirmation age in training, only those households in the parish may be listed in the record.

A study of the catechism record for Västra Karaby parish show their format was to list the names of the heads of household and the names of confirmation age children who resided in that household. These could be their own child (children), and/or the farmhands and farmgirls working for them, It is possible the head of the house was responsible for seeing that these young people knew their Lutheran catechism. Because not every household had confirmation age children, the catechism lists for Västra Karaby do not necessarily reflect all households in the parish.

For Västra Karaby parish the catechism lists useful for our searches were those of 1696 (no date), 13 Jun 1699 and 4 Jul 1701. Each list was completley searched. Unfortunately, the names of the farms and villages were not recorded, so we searched the whole parish' list looking for the first and patronymic names we knew. As was hoped, the information found did allow us to fill in more of the family members!:

wife PerNilla Jönsdtr dau Kierstiene Asmunsdtr 1 part had the opportunity of learning

(this is the only record which lists Asmund's wife's the whole catechism yet - ditto for

maiden name!) Kierstiene)

1699 Asmun Torson (note that this year, the record keeper decided not to list the names of the wives, only the head

dau Boeld of household and those who were being tested on their knowledge of the catechism)

dau Kierstena

Jôns Torson

son Anners

dau Anne

4 Jul 1701

Jôns Torson son Anners dau Anna

Asmund Torson dau Kierstena

1720

The next available catechism list was 1720. The only person living at Henckelstorp which we recognized as "ours" was Anders Jönsson, son of Jöns Thorsson.

⇒Seventh research step - Go back to the parish registers and search death and marriage records to fill in as much information as possible on the family tree and family group sheets, using the clues gained in the previous searches.

Since Pernilla Jönsdtr, widow of Asmund Torson did not show up on the 1720 tax list, she was either too old to be taxed, or ill, or had died between 1711 and 1720. We chose the middle point of that time period to begin searching the death records. We worked our way from 1715 to 1719. On 24 Apr 1719 the entry was found which reads, "Cast earth upon Pernilla, Asmun Torsson's (who) died 18th of the same month, age 68 years" = born circa 1651.

Depending upon when Asmund and Pernilla married, (between about 1671 and 1681 when Elena was born), there could be several more children belonging to the familiy. In fact, we know from the catechism records and the tax lists Elena had at least two siblings, Boeld and Kierstene.

The child bearing years of Elena Asmundsdotter's mother, Pernilla, could range from approximately 1664 to 1702, given her age at death. Accordingly, the first searches in the christening records of Vastra Karaby ran from 1688, when the records began, to 1703. Three additional siblings were found - Lars, Gertru and Jöns! There could have been 2 to 3 more children born between 1681 when Elena was born, and 1688, when the parish registers began. If they survived to teen-age or beyond, their names could be picked up if they married in Västra Karaby parish, or, if they can be identified working on someone else's farm in the tax lists.

{NOTE: ADD FGS FOR ASMUND & PERNILLA SHOWING ALL CHILDREN TO DATE}

Jöns Torsson, Asmund's brother, and Jöns' wife Gertru disappeared off the tax rolls between 1705 and 1709. Searches of the death records began in 1705 since, if the tax list was taken early in the year, they could have died the latter part of the year. As the records show, both of them died in 1708. "10 Apr 1708 buried Jöns Torsson's wife Giertrud who died the 1st of April (after) becoming sick on 25 March. Age 66 years & 20 weeks" = born approximately Nov of 1641.

(pull in images here)

Take note that here again, the surname of the deceased wife is not listed - only the fact that she was Jöns Torsson's wife. We only know her surname because it was given in the one year's catechism lists. If you want to get the whole story, and all the facts, you need to search every available record!

"The 4th Dec (1708) cast earth upon Jöns Torsson of Henckelstorp who in the night between the 25th and 26th of November died; many years sick, bedridden 1 month. Age 85 years" = born circa 1623.

(pull in imge here)

When Jöns Torsson and his brother Asmund Torsson's information is plotted out, ie. Jöns Torsson born about 1623 and Asmund born about 1644 as per their ages at death, it appears these two brothers may be the first and at least among the last children of Tor and Hanna or "??? It's also possible that Jöns had a different mother, since there is 20 + years between them.

If any of Jöns and Asmund's siblings i.e. people surnamed "Torsson/Tordson" had had a 2nd or perhaps even third marriage in Västra Karaby, a search of those records could add more information to the family tree. The catechism lists had provided the name of at least one probable sister, "Nilla Torsdtr" wife of Jöns Christensson. There could still be other siblings, especially if a spouse had died and they had re-married, so a search of the marriage records ensued, covering the time period 1691 (when they began) to 1722.

No groom nor bride surnamed Torsson or Thorson nor Tordson was found in that time period. However, marriages of the children and possible children of both Asmund and Jöns Torsson were found and duly noted as follows:

6 Jan 1716 Täle Persson of Henckelstorp and Boell Larsdr. (This was extracted and entered here to show how quickly 2nd and 3rd,etc., marriages could take place).

Searches of the marriage records to 1722 produced no other applicable names.

Note that the minister didn't always list the day dates for life events. Many times the name of the feast day, or the name for that Sunday was given. For an explanation of this type of system, and a an explanation of how to turn "feast day dates" into a day date, click on the following link.

{PULL IN LINK TO ARTICLE ON FEAST DAY DATES}

The last set of records to be searched were the deaths. We began with the first entry in 1691, and continued to 1741.

Died 27 Apr, buried Dom. Jubilate (1 May) 1710 Jöns, son of Anners Jönsson of Henckelstorp - "sick since birth" 5 or 15 days old (hard to read)

Died 20 Apr buried Dom Cantate (25 Apr) 1714, Tyre, wife of Anners Nilsson, mother of Påhl in Åhlstorp, 8 weeks bedridden, age 93 years, (This entry was taken to show the detail that could exist, and that people might have lived a whole lot longer than you think they did! The age at death of this person puts her born about 1621, long before the parish registers begin.

Died 28/29 Jul, buried 10 P. Trin (1 Aug) 1714, Jöns Christensson, age 62. (this is the husband of Nille Torsdatter, as found in the catechism lists of 1696)

Buried 3rd Sun in Adv (12 Dec) 1725 Änckan (the widow) Karin Pehrsdr, age 98 yrs and 3 mos = born about Sep-Oct 1646. (entry again taken just to show possible detail)

Died 15 Sep 1727, Jöns Christens(son's). widow, Nilla Tohrsdtr of Carleby, age 84 years & 5 mos. = born about March 1643

These latter two are siblngs of Elena Asmundsdotter. As per their approximated birth years, they appear to be among the older children born to Asmund Torsson and Pernille Jönsdtr.

With all the information found in the parish registers, tax lists, and catechism records, the family tree branch for Asmund Jönsson, born in Barsebäck parish, now looks like this:

The family group sheets belonging to that line now appear like this:

It is hoped this case study will give you ideas and direction as to how you might extend your own family tree lines beyond parish registers. If the records exist, search them!

Obviously, such a study will not necessarily work if your ancestor is named Ola Olsson, and there are 4 or more of them in the parish at the same time. However, you don't know until you try - so, GO FOR IT!!!

For more information about this case study feel free to contact me <a href="User:Manessre">Manessre</a> (add link to bio here)